Yuebei Dabai Tea

Yuebei Dabai Tea

A famous tea from Hunan. Hengshan has a long history of tea production. As recorded in the *Classic of Tea* by Lu Yu of the Tang Dynasty, “Tea from Hengzhou is produced in the valleys of Hengshan and Chaling counties.” Yuebei Dabai Tea comes from Guantang in Hengshan County. Its name combines “Yuebei,” from the “Yuebei Peasant Association” personally established by Mao Zedong in 1927, and the tea’s characteristic of being covered in white downy buds that shine white through green. In 1970, the Guantang Tea Farm successfully created Yuebei Dabai Tea by drawing on traditional local tea-making techniques and incorporating advanced methods from other renowned tea-producing regions. Yuebei Dabai Tea is divided into three grades: high, medium, and low. The annual production of high and medium-grade tea is about 4,000 kilograms. High-grade tea features tightly rolled, robust leaves with visible bud tips, covered in white down, vibrant green color, and a fragrant aroma. When brewed, it yields a yellow-green liquor with a mellow, sweet, and refreshing taste, and tender, bright-colored leaves. Since 1980, it has consistently been rated as a provincial-level famous tea in various competitions.